The Engine symbol and TCL OFF light are coming on intermittently on my KJ Verada, if I turn the car off for a minute and start it again they don't come back on, I could drive for an hour and they don't come on and then for some reason i could be doing a short trip and they come on, anyone have any ideas? Cheers

Has the "battery light" flickered on as well?

Best to go get the it scanned for codes before you start chucking parts at it

Check the ABS sensors on each wheel, visual check to see if they are clean.

Common culprit for this is the relays on the firewall....slightly, off centre to the right, you will see 2 black relays high up on the firewall......grab a couple of known good ones and test.....

I reckon this is your problem.....

Thanks everyone for your help, I will check the ABS sensor and the black relays on the firewall today, no the battery light isn't coming on. Cheers

Common culprit for this is the relays on the firewall....slightly, off centre to the right, you will see 2 black relays high up on the firewall......grab a couple of known good ones and test.....

I reckon this is your problem.....

I reckon this response is on the money. I have had the same problem over the years. The TCL solenoid gets sticky from time to time (usually when its hot/humid), and triggers a TCL Off light which then triggers the check engine a few seconds later. It usually clears if you stop and restart the car a bit later.

This is something that should be addressed rather then left. I had left mine thinking its ok if the TCL doesn't work, but with a sticky solenoid it can also get stuck when its activated (ie. traction control kicks in when you accelerate too fast). The result being that it cuts fuel supply to your engine and its stuck that way so you can only get 1200rpm, which is a slow limp home. If this happens you can unplug the top vacuum line on the left solenoid, this will give you back your throttle.

I reckon this response is on the money. I have had the same problem over the years. The TCL solenoid gets sticky from time to time (usually when its hot/humid), and triggers a TCL Off light which then triggers the check engine a few seconds later. It usually clears if you stop and restart the car a bit later.

This is something that should be addressed rather then left. I had left mine thinking its ok if the TCL doesn't work, but with a sticky solenoid it can also get stuck when its activated (ie. traction control kicks in when you accelerate too fast). The result being that it cuts fuel supply to your engine and its stuck that way so you can only get 1200rpm, which is a slow limp home. If this happens you can unplug the top vacuum line on the left solenoid, this will give you back your throttle.

Thanks for that advice, I have a KH Verada I might swap the solenoids over and see if the same thing happens in the KH, Cheers

Would someone post a pic of the relays and where they are, when they have a chance please.

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk253/My_Album_13/TCLSolenoid.jpg

Just running the electrical connection at the solenoid out & back in a few times worked for me.

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk253/My_Album_13/TCLSolenoid.jpg

I noticed you are using a strut brace TL, do they do anything?

Just running the electrical connection at the solenoid out & back in a few times worked for me.
I wonder if there is gunk getting inside then? How dd u actually do this, did u remove them from the car first?

I noticed you are using a strut brace TL, do they do anything?

Sorry picture was not of my car just one I found on the internet.

I wonder if there is gunk getting inside then? How dd u actually do this, did u remove them from the car first?

No - from memory you squeeze the connector to unlock & then pull out. In my case there must have been a poor connection (unless it was a coincidence that the problem disappeared).
Its worth trying first because its the simplist option.

Well I pulled mine out of the KH which has had this issue for a while.
First thing i noticed is that the mounting plate was loose so it would have been vibrating a fair bit. The solenoids are sealed so not serviceable. I sprayed contact cleaner on the connectors, both on the solenoids and on the loom, which cleaned them up nicely and refitted.

Took it for a 5 minute drive and road tested ABS and TCL, all good.
No TCL OFF light. Then I took it fir a 40 minute drive, up and down all kinds of hills and twists and turns. It didnt come on.

This isnt convinving evidence that the cleaner has fixed the problem, because the problem doesnt always occur on every trip, but I do have a theory in case it has: IF the connectors had a poor connection then the loose mounting and consequent vibration of the connectors may have caused interruption to the power with the ECU throwing an error and disabling the TCL until the next restart. Just a guess at this point, will have to wait and see.

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk253/My_Album_13/TCLSolenoid.jpg

I just noticed on my car the solenoid that has the two vacuum hoses they have been swapped over, I changed them so they are the same as this pic, no engine symbol or TCL off light yet.

I just noticed on my car the solenoid that has the two vacuum hoses they have been swapped over, I changed them so they are the same as this pic, no engine symbol or TCL off light yet.

I don't profess to be an expert, but I don't believe that swapping them over should make a difference. Its just a valve that allows vacuum to go through when activated, I would have thought it worked either direction, but could be wrong.

I don't profess to be an expert, but I don't believe that swapping them over should make a difference. Its just a valve that allows vacuum to go through when activated, I would have thought it worked either direction, but could be wrong.

You are correct, didn't fix it, I have a KH as well so I swapped the solenoids over, so far no lights coming on on the KJ, will drive the KH for the next few days and see if the engine symbol and the TCL light comes on in it.

Well, cleaning tne connectors hasnt helped. Next step is to give it to the experts.

Unless I have misread or missed something....if all you have done is cleancthe connections, then the next step would be to try known good ones if you are able to try another set would be the easiest next step

Having said all this though I could still very well be wrong, there are other reasons this can happen, im only just looking at one of the most common fault to suit the symptoms...

Unless I have misread or missed something....if all you have done is cleancthe connections, then the next step would be to try known good ones if you are able to try another set would be the easiest next step

Having said all this though I could still very well be wrong, there are other reasons this can happen, im only just looking at one of the most common fault to suit the symptoms... sure, you mean the solenoids? I dont have any.
Mal will have some, I'll take it to him.